Lillian wildfire reported contained; about 600 acres burned

LILLIAN, Alabama -- A wildfire in Lillian appeared to be contained after burning about 600 acres around the southeast Baldwin County community, officials said Saturday.

The fire began Thursday in a swamp north of U.S. 98 near the Florida line. By Saturday, a containment line had been cut around most of the fire, Officer Colin Roberts of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said.

"We’ve got it as contained as we can," he said. "We’ve got a line around about 80 percent of it, and the other 20 percent is too wet."

He said that while some flames were still reported in the area, rain Saturday had helped put out much of the fire.

Lillian volunteer firefighters will continue to monitor the fire until the blaze is out, he said.

He said aerial surveys of the damaged area were not complete Saturday, but estimated that at least 600 acres had been burned.

Lightning was believed to be the cause of the fire, officials said Friday.